Bust form



. April 15, 1952- E. H. BE-RNHARDT 2,593,002

BUST FORM Filed Oct. 27, 1950 INVEN TOR. 5/4 BcrH/IarQ Z ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,593,002 BUST FORM- Ella H; Bernhardt, New York, N. Y. Application Oman, 1950, Serial-No. 192,389

r This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 91,967 filed May 7, 1949, and entitled Prosthetic Device (now U. S. Patent 2,542,619, issued FebruaryiZO, 1951).

,The present invention is essentially an improved way ofrendering liquid containing bust forms, particularly those of the kind disclosed in the above-mentioned application, proofagainst leakage due to accidental puncturing, rupturing and like causes. In general, it contemplates the provision within a double walled breast form, such as disclosed in the aforesaid application, of a liquid absorbent material outside. the inner liquid retaining cell but within the outer envelope andwhichwill absorb liquid escaping or leaking from the inner cell. In an improved form, this material is such as will react with liquid leaking from the inner cell to form a gluelike cementing agent to seal punctures and the like.

Thejfull nature of the invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the illustrative embodiment hereinafter described with refe'renceto the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 isa perspective view of abreast form worn with 'a bra-ssire and shown in position on a'female figure, the form being positioned in a pocket in the brassiere i s j 2 is a partial plan view of the form;

Fig.3 is across sectional viewalong the lines ft-3 f Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the bust form 10, indicated in dotted lines, is located in the brassiere cup l2 of brassiere i 3 adapted to support and conform-inner liquidretaining cell M of form If! to the human'breast as explained in the aforementioned application. As shown in Fig. 3, the brassiere cup [2 is provided with a form retainer IB-which' may be a piece of soft textile material sewn along the sides and bottom of the inside of the brassiere cup. A flap I6 is provided to cover the opening at the top of the brassiere cup.

nsjshown in Fig. 2, an unsealed portion 22 of, thejform lo-isprovided as a means of placing the contents, in the form: After this operation, this portion 22 is sealed.

Asseen in Fig. 3, the form I0 is double walled so as to form the inner cell l4. having front wall I and back wall l8, as well as the outer envelope l9 having front'wall 20 and 'rear wall-2U The walls of both inner cell l4 and outer envelope 19 are formed of water impervious flexible sheet material suitably joined and sealed. along the edges, for examplethe materials indicated in my "men! tioned" application:

p 13 Claims.

and outlined in dotted 2 Within the inner cell [4 there is provided a conformable liquid filling means 23 such as shown and claimed in my aforesaid application.

Preferably, the filling means is of such character as to minimize sounds of its own movement and includes a sealing agent which, upon leakage of the filling means, tends to seal punctures and ruptures. Water with the addition of a foaming agent to produce sound minimizing foam 24 or an agent giving it a surface tension sufiiciently reduced to minimize sound will perform the former of these two functions. 'I-Iowever, an aqueous solution of methylcellulose, the material hereinafter more fully described, will tend to perform both the functions of sound minimizing and sealing; if its concentration be made high it may be given a more flesh like consistency and a surface tension sufliciently reduced to minimize sound, if its concentration be low, it will produce foam 24 when agitated.

The filling means 23 may also include a germicide and a coloring agent, for example, to give it a flesh-like color.

Within the space between the cell M and envelope I9 I provide, as previously mentioned'in the aforementioned application, a quantity 25 of a highly water absorbent material in powdered or other suitable form, such as powdered bentonite, to absorb leaking which may occur from cell l4. However, I prefer the improved arrangement now to be described. This improvement lies in selecting a material which not only absorbs the liquid leakage but which will react with it or its water content to form a sealing agent such as by coagulation or air drying. Such agent will then serve to seal any'ruptures or punctures which occur in the walls of either cell it or envelope I9, thus rendering the breast form more reliably self-sealing. Preferably, the material is in powdered or like finely divided form to lend pliability and softness to the breast form.

I have found that one very useful material for this purpose is methylcellulose, a material sold under the trade-mark Methocel by the Dow Chemical Company. This material has been described as. a water soluble cellulose ether which m'ayform aqueous solutions varying in viscosity from that of water itself to that of a thick gluey paste, although I believe it more accurate to term 7 ency will have a surface tension sufficiently reduced to minimize sound and those of proper dilution also produce foam when agitated in the presence of gas for which reasons they may advantageously also be used as the liquid filler in cell [4.

As an example, if a relatively dilute solution of methylcellulose be used as the liquid filler for cell it, it will be found that the walls of the cell are self-sealing to some extent because leakage, if not great, may tend to dry in air immediately after it escapes from the cell. If, however, a

quantity of powdered or otherwisefi-nely divided methylcellulose be provided in the outer cornpartment between cell l4 and envelope 9, the:

form acquires additional self-sealing properties.

because the powder will add to the viscosity of the leaked solution and bring about. the described sealing coagulation which will seal ruptures or punctures of the size normally encountered in practice in either of the walls of the bust form. It has been observed that with such ruptures or punctures the coagulated mixture of leaked filler and powdered methylcellulose will seep through the puncture or rupture and almost immediately form a tough sealing film thereabout.

Another material useful for" the samepurpose, is sodium carboxymethylcellulose, a product sold under the trade-mark CMC'by' the Herculesv Powder Company. This will coagulate much. like the methylcellulose to perform the sealing actionsd'escribed.

Other materials performing the function of the methylcellulose or sodium carboxymethylcellulose as above described will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A breast form comprising a. flexible. liquid- 7 retaining cell having. a liquidfiller therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spacedfrom said cell, and a quantity of liquid. absonbentmaterial within said envelope and without. said. cell for absorbing liquid leakage of. said. filler from said cell.

2. A breast form comprising a. flexibleli'qu-idretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said. cell, and a quantity of liquid absorbent powder Within said envelope and without said cellfor absorbing. liquid leakage of said'fi-ller from said, cell.

3. A breast form com-prising a. flexible: liquidretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, arfl exible envelopeenclosing and spaced. from said cell, and a quantity of. material within said. envelope and without said. cell, said materialcomprising a substance which when mixed with the liquid of said filler forms a sealing agent for punctures. in said formwhereby said form is self-sealing.

4. A breast form comprising a flexible. liquidretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a qauntity of powdered material withinsaid envelope and without said cell, said material com.- prising a substance which when mixed with. the liquid of said filler forms, a sealing agent for punctures in said form whereby said form is, self,- sealing.

5. A breast form comprising a flexible liquidretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a quantity of material within said envelope and without said cell, said material comprising a material which upon admixture with liquid of said filler leaked from said cell forms a sealing agent for normal punctures in said form.

6. A breast form comprising a flexible liquid-- retaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a quantity of powdered material within said envelope and without said cell, said material comprising a material which upon admixture with liquid of said filler leaked from said cell forms a. sealing. agent for normal punctures in said form.

'7. A breast form comprising a flexible liquidretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a quantity of material within said envelope and. without said cell, said material comprising a substance which when dispersed in the liquid: of said. filler forms a coagulated sealing agent for punctures in said form whereby said form is self-sealing.

8. A breast form comprising a flexible liquidretaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a. flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell; and a quantity of finely divided powder-like material within saidenvelope and without said cell, said material comprising a. substance which when dispersed in the liquid of said filler forms.

a coagulated sealing agent for punctures in said form whereby-said form is; self-sealing.

9'. A breast form comprising a flexible liquidretainingcell having a liquid filler therein, a.

flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a, quantity of. material within said envelope and without said cell, said material comprising a substance which when dispersed in the liquid of said filler forms a coagulatable' sealing agent which upon seepage through a puncture in said form forms a coagulated film about. said puncture whereby said form is self-sealing...

10. A breast form comprising a flexible liquid retaining cell having a liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from. said cell, and, a quantity of finely divided powder-like material withinv sai'denvelope and without said cell, said material comprising. a substance which when dispersed in the liquidv of' said filler forms a coagulatable' sealing, agent. which uponv seepage through a normal puncture. in said form. forms. a, coagulatedv film about said puncture whereby said form is self-sealing.

11. A breast form comprising a liquid-retaining cell. having. a methylcell'ulose. solution. as; a. liquid filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said. cell, and. a quantity of finely divided solidi methylcellulose between said. cell and envelope.

12. A self-sealing breast form comprising a flexible liquid-retaining cell having an aqueous filler therein, a flexible envelope enclosing and spaced from said cell, and a quantity of finely divided methylcellulosewithin said envelope and Without saidcell.

13. A self-sealing.- breast form comprising a flexible liquid-retaining; cell having an aqueousfiller therein, a, flexible envelope. enclosing and spaced. from saidv cell, and a quantity oi finely divided sodium carbox-ymethylcellulose within. said envelope and without said. cell;

ELLA H. BERNHARDT.

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